Annual Events & Festivals - Annual Events
With all of the entertainment options available along the Grand Strand, you will probably be amazed at this lineup of annual events, festivals, tournaments, and shows. And you can well believe that even though there are 101 things for you to see and do here, these events are well received and attended. The Myrtle Beach Convention Center hosts a number of annual events, and, although we don’t provide the center’s address in respective listings, we won’t leave you in the dark as to its whereabouts—Oak Street and 21st Avenue North in Myrtle Beach. Since plans can vary at any given time when coordinating such large programs, we cannot guarantee that dates, places, times, and prices won’t change. Keep your eyes and ears tuned to the news for current information, or call the number listed to verify details.
Now let’s get in the game and join in the fun!
1. Grand Strand Boat Show And Sale
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (843) 238-0485
Description: This mid-January/early-February show attracts up to 10,000 boating enthusiasts and more than 90 exhibitors displaying motor boats, fishing equipment, pontoon boats, sailboats, one-person kayaks, and water-sports gear, including scuba-diving equipment and a host of accessories. Safety instruction is offered, and the U.S. Coast Guard is represented. Past seminars have included Flounder Fishing, Live Bait Fishing, and Speckled Trout and Drum Fishing. The show has gotten so large that auxiliary events are also now held at the Marina at Grand Dunes. Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for children between the ages of 6 and 12, and free for children under 6.
2. North Myrtle Beach Winter Run
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (843) 280-5570
Description: This event includes the 5K and 15K road races for the southeastern region. Sponsored by the North Myrtle Beach Recreation Department, this competition, which takes place each year on the last Saturday in Jan, attracts 400 to 500 entrants. Following the grueling race, an awards ceremony is held to recognize the top five overall runners and the best in each age category—including those older than 60! Registration costs $30 for the 15k and $25 for the 5k. There are discounts if you register a month before the race, and registration is open until the day of the race.
3. Lifestyles Expo
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (800) 62-SHOWS, (843) 444-0305
Description: Dedicated to the “50+ generation,” this late-January, two-day expo usually attracts more than 6,000 people each year. Continuous entertainment and speakers fill the agenda. The two-day extravaganza marked its 23rd consecutive year in 2009. Offerings include cooking demonstrations, blood-pressure screenings, and floral-design displays. Nearly 140 exhibitors are on hand, and the entertainment—which is always commendable—is continuous throughout the two-day show. Previously featured acts have included the famous Dancin’ Grannies, lots of Big Band groups, the Myrtle Beach Barbershop Quartet, and many others. The admission fee is $5 per person.
4. Horry County Museum Quilt Gala
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (843) 248-1542, (843) 626-1542
Description: The first quilt gala was held in 1994 on the grounds of the Old County Courthouse in Conway and featured 40 beautifully colored quilts flapping in the breeze. The event has grown to a two-day festival of sorts and had to find a larger location. This popular event is now held at the Ocean Lakes Family Campground on the south end of Myrtle Beach, where guests enjoy browsing hundreds of quilting entries from South Carolina and the East Coast in categories that include wall hangings, wearables, bed quilts, and more. Hourly demonstrations on quilting techniques and applications are especially popular. Lots of vendors provide supplies and answer questions. There are also door prizes and raffles. Dates vary. Call ahead for details.
5. Myrtle Beach Marathon
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (843) 293-7223
Description: Founded in 1997, this marathon has become a real event along the beach, encompassing not just the marathon itself but a bike race and a host of other runs that offer something for just about anyone who wants to get out and go. Proceeds benefit local charities, including the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society of South Carolina and the local chapter of the American Red Cross. The main event starts at Grissom Parkway and 21st Avenue North and loops around to end at Coastal Federal Field. Entry fees vary per event; see the Web site for details.
6. Myrtle Beach Stamp Show
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (843) 347-0087
Description: Children receive a free pack of stamps and an album to begin their stamp-collecting careers at this mid-Feb event. Ten dealers participate from the Southeastern region and display goods from beginner status to advanced. The U.S. Postal Service is on hand to sell current stamps, and collections are appraised free of charge. About 600 philatelists and other enthusiasts join the fun every year.
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
11. Daffodil Days
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (843) 235-6000
Description: More than a quarter of a million daffodil bulbs make their debut in early Mar at the historic Brookgreen Gardens. The 40-acre grounds are awash in a sea of yellow as more than 250,000 bulbs show their finest. In addition to being able to tour the gardens, you can see floral exhibits of daffodils and other spring flowers. (See the Attractions chapter for more details about Brookgreen itself.)
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
13. Annual Doll Show & Sale
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (843) 248-5643
Description: You’ll find doll dealers from 15 states and more than 200 tables of goods at this show. Items include antique dolls, collectibles, modern artists’ dolls, accessories, doll-making supplies, miniature furniture, replacement parts, and molds. Special exhibits and demonstrations are scheduled, and a raffle is held to raise money for a number of area charities. Tickets for adults are $4. Children ages 6 to 12 can enter for a minimal fee of $1.
14. Annual Spring Games & Kite Flying Contest
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (843) 448-7881
Description: This is a great mid-Apr event for veteran kite flyers and novices alike. Professional flyers will take to the breezes for stunt and single-line flying for a points-only competition. Professor Kite will be on hand to give out free kites to participating children and to give demonstrations and lessons. Look to the empty fields around Broadway at the Beach for this event, which is usually held on a Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free. A donation can be given that benefits a local charity.
15. Art In The Park
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (843) 448-7690
Description: Since 1973, Art in the Park has been held in Chapin Park in the heart of downtown Myrtle Beach and showcases some of the finest artisans in the Southeast. Organized by the Waccamaw Arts & Crafts Guild, the event features more than 120 exhibitors, whose crafts encompass painting, photography, pottery, jewelry, glass, and stone. The two-day affair is free to the public and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.